Midweek Meals: Five family-friendly dinners that you might not have tried yet

If you are in a food rut, then these recipes are for you 

Vegetarian enchiladas

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Easy, healthy and delicious. I love making this dinner during the week

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

• a handful of mint leaves, chopped

• juice of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ red onion, finely chopped

• 1 courgette, sliced into strips

• 2 red peppers, sliced into strips

• 30g fajita spice mix (homemade or shop-bought)

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tortilla wraps

• 60ml tomato passata

• 50g Cheddar, grated (optional, remove for vegan or use vegan approved option)

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional, remove for vegan or use vegan approved option)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Use a fork to mash the avocado, mint and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened.

4. Add the peppers, courgette, spice mix and garlic and cook for 3–5 minutes, then set aside.

5. Divide the avocado mixture between the two tortillas, spreading it into an even layer. Add a layer of passata, followed by a layer of peppers and courgette mixture.

6. Neatly roll each tortilla, then place them side by side in an ovenproof dish.

7. Sprinkle the Cheddar over and place in the oven.

8. Bake for 15–20 minutes.

9. Divide the enchiladas between warmed serving plates and top each one with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Korean fried chicken burger

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This chicken burger served with cheese, lettuce and spicy apple is delicious with spicy mayo on a warm brioche bun

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Korean

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts

• 30ml rice wine

• 2 garlic cloves 

• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

• 250g cornflour

• 4 brioche buns

• 8 potatoes

• 4 tbsp Mayonnaise

• 4 tbsp Gochujang chilli sauce

• 3 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 50g honey

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• To serve:

• Little gem lettuce

• grated Cheddar

• For the Ssamjang (optional):

• 80g Korean soybean paste or miso

• 2 tbsp gochujang

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 tbsp finely chopped onion

• 20g flaked almonds

• ½ apple, cored and finely chopped

Method

1. Flatten the chicken breasts a little. I use a rolling pin to do this, just pound them gently to make them a uniform thickness. Grate the garlic, pop it into a bowl with the rice wine and ginger. Cut the chicken breasts in half, add them to the bowl and stir to cover with the marinade. Let them marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Now make the pickled cucumber. Warm 60ml rice or white wine vinegar in a small pan, add one teaspoon of sesame oil, one teaspoon of Korean red pepper flakes or ordinary chilli flakes and one tablespoon of caster sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Thinly slice a cucumber, pop it into a bowl and pour over the vinegar mix.

3. Pop all the ingredients for the ssamjang into a food processor and blitz until smooth. This will only take a minute or two. It is optional, but it really adds something special to this dish.

4. Peel a few potatoes per person and cut them into two-centimetre cubes. Toss them in a little olive oil and roast in an air fryer or oven at 200ºC until golden brown. Heat one litre of sunflower oil to 180ºC. Dredge the chicken pieces one at a time in the cornflour. Carefully lower them into the hot fat, one-by-one. Do not crowd the pan, you will need to do this in batches of three pieces or so at a time. Fry them for five minutes. After five minutes, let the chicken drain on a rack over a tray or on some kitchen paper. 

5. While the chicken is frying, toast the burger buns lightly. Make a sauce for the side serving of chicken and the potato by mixing the ketchup, two tablespoons of gochujang, two grated cloves of garlic, the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and sesame oil in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the last two tablespoons of gochujang. Now fry the chicken again for another two minutes. Plate up.

6. Put some lettuce on each bun along with some pickled cucumber. Next, put on a piece of chicken, add some of the gochujang mayo and some grated cheddar. Toss the potatoes in a little of the sauce you made earlier. Sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds and some chopped spring onion. Serve on the side along with another piece of chicken and a little dish of the sauce.

Turkey stir fry

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

A super quick, easy and healthy midweek dinner option

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Thai

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 onion, finely sliced

• 1 chilli, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• a thumb-sized length of ginger, grated

• a handful of broccoli, broken into small florets

• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

• 1 pepper, finely sliced

• 400g turkey mince

• 3 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• 125g brown rice

• a handful of basil leaves

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion, chilli, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli, carrot and pepper and stir-fry for another 3 minutes.

4. Add the turkey mince, soy sauce and fish sauce and stir-fry for 8 minutes or until the turkey is cooked through.

5. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the instructions on the package.

6. Spoon the cooked rice into warmed serving bowls, making a well in the centre. Spoon the stir-fry on top. Tear the basil leaves and scatter over the stir-fry. Serve without delay.

Baked haddock with breadcrumbs

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Enjoy this cherry tomato, olive and breaded haddock supper for the whole family, ready in just half an hour

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 shallots, peeled and sliced

• 4 large potatoes, chopped 

• 400g cherry tomatoes

• 70g green olives, sliced

• 4 fillets of haddock

• 100g bread crumbs

Method

1. Toss the potatoes, garlic, and rosemary in olive oil and seasoning. Place on a roasting tray and into a medium oven, until the potatoes are golden on the outside and cooked through.

2. In a separate baking tray, toss the tomatoes, shallots and olives in oil and seasoning. Season the fish and place it on top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and place into an oven heated to 180°C. Bake until the fish is cooked through, which will take about 15 minutes, depending on its thickness.

3. Serve with the potatoes on the side and with the juice from the roasting tray.

Fast fakeaway fried rice

recipe by:Erica Drum

Ideal for days when the fridge needs a clear out, use whatever vegetables you have

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 onion- red/white/scallion/shallot

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 red chilli or chilli flakes or chilli powder

• 200g leftover protein bits- chicken/tofu/veg/prawns

• Soy sauce

• Honey

• 1 tablespoons fish sauce or shrimp paste(optional)

• 200g cooked cold rice (it is truly best to use less fresh rice)

• 100g of empty the fridge veg- scallions, peas, cubed carrots, pak choi

• 1 tomato or a few cherry tomatoes

• Salt and pepper

• Oil for frying

Method

1. Fry your onions in some oil over a hot heat for a few minutes and then add your garlic and chilli.

2. Season the onions, garlic and chilli with some salt. Fry for a further 3-4 minutes.

3. Now add in your strips of chicken/tofu/veg/prawns and fry for at least 5 more minutes or until a little golden. If raw, be sure to cool them through.

4. In a little dish, you can mix up your soy sauce, honey, and fish sauce or shrimp paste.

5. Add your rice, any extra veg, tomato and your sauce to the pan. Stir it all together and fry for another minute or two until everything is cooked and piping hot. Taste and add seasoning as desired.

6. Serve with a freshly fried crispy egg.
   
   Photo by Momo King from Pexels

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